Courtship
by jessara40k
Summary: Cetra Restoration fic. When Cloud is pushed to find a spouse, Aeris and Zack decide that they should start searching for Aeris' spouse while she can take her time.
1. Chapter 1

"Aeris, what's wrong?" She looked shaken when she walked into their quarters and Zack put his logic puzzle aside at once to pay full attention to his lady.

"I...Cloud's agreed to consider a spouse, one of the three the Triumvirate suggested. He always said he wanted to wait until he was twenty-five, unless there was some desperate political need, but he's giving up some of his time with Sephiroth early for me, for us." Aeris didn't fight it when Zack drew her into his arms, and that told him just how badly she'd been shaken by this; normally she'd make sure to keep her arms free, and wrap them over his arms and shoulders, instead of letting him pin her arms to her body like that. "I don't want him to have to sacrifice himself like that for my sake."

"Aeris, I don't think it is a sacrifice, not the way you're thinking it is. He only agreed to consider a spouse, so he's got something like six or seven months of courtship before he has to get involved with her, whoever she is." He stroked her back soothingly, and she seemed to relax at least a little bit.

"I think it's Rowan Ashe, from what he said about her age and the size of her harem. I guess she'll be more likely to leave him alone as much as is practical if she's got lovers of her own to keep her attention." Aeris shivered and nuzzled against his throat for a moment. "I suppose I should start looking for a qualified spouse myself, common-born high nobility. But at least _I_ don't have to worry as much about getting a young spouse as Cloud does."

Zack didn't really like the idea of Aeris being with anyone else, but he'd known from the very beginning that she'd be taking a spouse one day, and there was nothing he could do about it. And no way he could make this easier on Aeris, except...

"If you start looking now, without getting the Triumvirate involved and keeping it informal perhaps you'll find someone you at least like as a friend."

"True. I...could probably get away with not taking a spouse, and just having the children without an espousal, but...they still wouldn't be your children, not at first, because I wouldn't be likely enough to have Cetra." Zack could feel the shudder of revulsion running through Aeris at that idea, and he knew he'd never ask her to do anything like that.

"You're better off looking for a spouse, I'll help and we can start while everyone's distracted by Cloud's courtship. But for now why don't we take a bath together, and get ready to eat with the Triumvirate without letting them know what we're planning?"

"That sounds good." Aeris began trying to pull away from him, and Zack released her immediately, following her example and stripping off as they made their way to the bathroom. He started running the bath, using her favourite bubble bath, resigning himself to smelling like lilies afterwards because she needed that extra bit of relaxation.

"Thank you. Brush my hair before we get in?" Aeris smiled as she held the brush out to him, and he took hold of her hand, raising it to his lips for a kiss after he'd accepted the brush from her and set to work in silence, resisting the urge to kiss her again, or add any of the little touches that he usually used to turn this into something sensual. He didn't want her to feel at all pressured by his desire for her, not when she'd just agreed that she should start looking for a spouse now, when she'd feel that her agreement, however reluctant it was, might have hurt him. And while he knew she needed comfort, and reassurance, from him _she_ would have to initiate things if that comfort was to be sexual in form.

Aeris made a small, unhappy sound in her throat as he finished and stepped away to check on the bath, but he ignored that deliberately, hoping it would push her into some better sign of what she needed from him, and smiled at her, sitting down on the side of the bath and holding out his hand to her.

"The bath's ready I think."

"I think you're right." She smiled as she put her hand into his and let him help her into her bath, but it was a tremulous smile, faintly uncertain and he hated that. "Please Zack, I want to be with you, I want you to make me feel good." Zack could _feel_ the pain in her request, and he wanted nothing more than to ease it, but he still needed a little bit more, even though he kissed her hand before joining her in the bath.

"You want me to take care of you, take care of everything, at least for a little bit?" He leaned over her, knowing that his brave, self-confident lady wouldn't see it as the act of intimidation some lesser women might treat it as, and he pulled her into his arms, stroking the back of her neck.

"Please Zack, I need that." She wrapped her arms around his neck, arcing up against him and letting her eyes fall shut in total trust. She didn't protest as he pulled her further from the sides of the bath, and kissed her again, using the size of the bath to full advantage.

"Alright, lie back a bit." He supported her with one hand just below her shoulders as she leaned backwards with breathtaking grace, letting him use his free hand to make sure her hair was all soaking wet before he helped her sit up again and reached for the shampoo. He faced her as he worked it into her hair, slowly, making sure it would clean her hair from root to tip, and ignoring the fact that it smelled of lilies again.

"Stand up now please." Aeris' body wash was lily scented too, and he used that on her breasts first, cupping them in his hands before moving up, running his hands up to her shoulders, and then down her arms, sliding back up to her armpits, and then back to her breasts. But no further down, not yet, not with what he planned. Instead he leaned forwards, nuzzling against Aeris' thigh, just a little frustrated at how the bubble bath was contaminating her wonderful natural scent, drowning out some of the subtleties that he enjoyed so much and kissing her just above the groin.

Now he let his hands move down from their slightly awkward position, sliding them around to her back and down, cupping her ass and kneading just enough to make her moan as he kissed his way down. He slid his tongue over her folds first, licking the water from her and encouraging Aeris to moisten from arousal, waiting until she was relaxed before pushing his tongue into her, trying again to reach that spot inside, trying and failing once more and retreating to focus instead on her clitoris, teasing her clitoral hood ever so lightly with his teeth for a few brief seconds.

"Ahhh!" Aeris' hands flew down to grasp his shoulders at that and Zack immediately shifted his attention to other targets, running his tongue between her folds, and approaching her clitoris, only to move away at the last instant, teasing her and driving her to the greatest height of arousal that he could. Finally he moved back to her clitoris when Aeris' hands started clenching on his shoulders and did his best to suck it into his mouth, teasing it with his tongue until he pushed her over into climax.

He pulled back then, helping Aeris sink down into the water again, stroking that perfect skin and planning to offer her a massage later. But first he washed the suds from her body, and from her hair, one hand moving between her legs to slowly tease her to a second climax as he kissed her throat. The conditioner now, to give him a chance to calm down a bit, so that he'd last, and then he laid Aeris back against the side of the tub before covering her body with his own, and pushing in, oh so slowly.

This wasn't the best position, with the water forcing him to move slowly, and carefully, but Zack was used to controlling his strength, and because this had to be slow it let him adjust his movements, timing them to have the best effect on Aeris and to make her _writhe_ underneath him. He used one hand on the side of the tub to support his weight and let his other hand stroke Aeris' breasts, teasing her nipples ever so carefully, kissing her ear as well, giving her three sources of sensation to deal with, and she _moaned_, giving voice to a low sensual sound. He laughed quietly into her ear at that, letting her _hear_ how satisfying that sound was to him, and she wrapped one wet arm around his shoulders, resting her hand on the back of his neck, and turning her face towards his seeking his lips with her own.

It didn't distract him from the way Aeris' _other_ hand was snaking down between their bodies, or the way she worked it to give herself that extra bit of friction she needed to push herself over to climax, but he didn't mind, and he let himself come just as her orgasm was fading.

"Was that what you needed?"

"Yes Zack, that was exactly what I needed. Thank you." And Zack could feel the bone deep relaxation in her body, even if it was just from making love it would probably last at least through their usual dinner with the Triumvirate.

"You're more than welcome." He helped Aeris rinse her hair then used unscented toiletries to clean himself up while she went to get dressed.


	2. Chapter 2

"Umm...Aeris, wouldn't you rather talk to Triumvir Joanne in private?" Zack shifted from foot to foot in a deliberate display of discomfort. He had no right to be involved with the selection of _Cloud's_ spouse, anything _he_ could say about the candidate Joanne had put forward was irrelevant, and he didn't need to know anything more than what little he already did. And Joanne's resentment of his presence showed, which worked since they didn't _want_ him stuck here playing the attentive adoring consort during this visit.

"Yes, that might be better." From the look on her face Joanne had caught the implication that Aeris expected her to be more forthcoming if she sent Zack away, and she wasn't so sure that it was a good thing anymore. "Go and take, oh...an hour to amuse yourself." But she caught hold of his hand and pulled him to her for a quick kiss before she let him go.

"Thank you, love. Triumvir." He nodded a polite farewell to the warrior caste before he turned to leave.

"You really should have brought a bodyguard with you, as well as your consort, or better yet instead of him." Zack didn't need to hear how Aeris responded to that, and he shut the door on the two women thankfully. If Joanne didn't have the common decency to at least wait until he was out of the room before disparaging him then he'd have had to listen to her insulting him if Aeris had wanted him to stay with her. And he'd have had to stay silent throughout.

No point thinking about something that hadn't happened, and Zack made his way to the nearest terminal with access to the population database as they'd planned. Aeris had made a point of personally seeing to it that his clearances were upgraded the day after she'd accepted his vows as her consort, so he didn't anticipate any problems as he logged onto the machine.

As he accessed the database programme he felt a moment's gratitude that he didn't have to sit with his back to the door, although he supposed that would be bad security, since it would let the screen be seen from the door as well. Then he bit his lip as the database programme called for additional authorisation before it would open, and he typed in his normal userid and password, hoping for the best. He really didn't want to have to tell Aeris that they'd have to find another way to get the information they needed - it would mean the Triumvirate was more likely to find out, and try to interfere, even though this was something Aeris had a right to do herself.

'Access currently restricted to healer caste high nobility.' That was all he needed, or had a legal right to search for, and Zack inserted the pen drive he'd brought with him as he indicated that yes, he wanted to continue. Aeris had asked Sephiroth to explain to him how to use the programmes he was most likely to encounter, and he'd found that most of them were fairly intuitive, at least when it came to simple things. This was no exception, and it seemed almost simplified in a lot of ways.

He knew he couldn't save the entire database (or even just the section he could access) to his pen drive, that would take too long, but he didn't need to, he only needed the records of suitable candidates for Aeris' spouse. So, he started a search of the database. Criteria...common-born and male, unespoused, between the ages of 18 and...40 - he didn't _like_ the idea of Aeris taking a spouse who was twice her age, but he would still be fertile, and there'd be a recent photo of each man in his record. Zack was tempted to include not having a harem as one of the criteria, but Aeris had told him not to when they'd talked about this; they needed information on _every_ suitable candidate, they could always eliminate some later. He set the search running and waited, getting up to pace when he realised it would take a while.

"Who are you, and what right do you have to wear a sword here?" Zack knew better than to go for his sword when the warrior caste challenged him, but his partner spared Zack from having to answer.

"Don't be stupid Murgen, you know that only the Planet's Chosen are allowed to decorate their inner household with materia. And the Weapon and the Heart _both_ let their consorts carry blades." It was clear from his tone how foolish the man felt that was, and Zack clenched his teeth to keep from protesting the casual condescension warrior caste always displayed around consorts.

"And how do you know I'm not Aeris' bodyguard? This _is_ one of the designated safe areas for her." He couldn't resist the temptation to push just a little, especially since the man's easy assumption that Zack wasn't a threat could be a security risk.

"And just because he's wearing a collar with materia doesn't mean he got it from one of the Chosen Glen. It could be a disguise or some sort of trick." Murgen could be a pain in the ass for Zack, but he was doing his job much better than this Glen was.

"A bodyguard, or some sort of criminal would have been a lot more alert, if he _wasn't_ a consort he'd have noticed us before you spoke Murgen." There was that contempt again, and it was unfair too. Zack was pretty sure his enhancement was at least as good as theirs, if not better.

"Not necessarily. A lot of warrior caste instinctively walk pretty quietly, you two were almost silent. And since I've got a right to be here I didn't think it mattered that there were a couple of people walking towards this office. I'd have closed the door if I was trying to hide anything." Zack deliberately turned his back on them as he moved to check on the computer, pleased to see that the database search was completed, even if he was disappointed to find only 13 candidates. He opened the first one's record, and began downloading it onto his pen drive before turning his attention back to the Cetra.

"Then what are you doing here?" Murgen again, Zack smiled at him.

"Something my lady would rather the Triumvirate didn't learn about just yet. She told me to amuse myself for an hour while she talked about her candidate for Cloud's spouse with Triumvir Joanne." He had the first record saved, now back to the results of his search, and open a new record. "If you'll permit it I can show you my visitor authorisation?" They probably _should_ be able to recognise him on sight, or demanded to see his ID or visitor authorisation when they first spoke to him, but Zack wasn't sure about that, and he could always bring it up with Joanne later. He set the second record to save before they responded.

"Yes, and some form of photo ID, if you've got it." Murgen really was a much better guard than Glen, and he hoped he was appreciated for it.

"Here's my blade license, and here's my visitor authorisation." He laid both cards on the desk in front of him, feeling slightly smug that he'd reminded Aeris about his blade license needing to be reissued to still permit him to carry a weapon in Aeris and Cloud's presence now that he was her consort not her bodyguard. While Murgen inspected the cards he opened the third candidate's record, and he made it clear there were no hard feelings when they apologised for questioning him.

He was back at Triumvir Joanne's office just a few minutes before his hour was up, and he decided not to mention his encounter with Murgen and Glen, in case they retaliated by letting her know Aeris was hiding something.

"Did you get it all?" Aeris didn't ask until they were walking back to the palace together, showing more patience than he thought he would in the same circumstances. "Was there enough space on the pen drive?"

"Yes, but there were only 13 candidates, even going up to the age of 40."

"That's more than I expected actually. There aren't that many of us who qualify as common-born high nobility." At least Aeris was pleased with what Zack had found for her, even if she didn't want to look at it straight away, preferring to make love with him first.


	3. Chapter 3

"We really should look at those records you wanted Aeris." Zack knew why Aeris didn't really want to think about getting a spouse, he wasn't too keen on the idea either, but it had been a full week since he'd collected the records on them, and they should get moving.

"Yes, I suppose so." Aeris still looked reluctant, but she moved towards his bedroom, since the best computer they had was there. "I'll let you pull up the information we need."

"Sure." Zack settled in front of their desktop, turning it on, signing in and opening 'candid', the folder he'd transferred all the records to last week while Aeris got another chair so she could watch him more easily.

"Shouldn't you tell me the password you used for that folder?" He'd let himself forget that Aeris would probably want the option of going through this without him there, although at least he'd remembered to put the folder in the shared documents folder.

"Sephiroth, upper case S, a zero to replace the O, and everything else lower case. I figured something with no obvious connection to the folder would work best." Zack had been given some training in security, but he knew that passwords based on real words were a lot easier to remember than random collections of letters.

"Hmmm...except that he's my beloved brother, and your friend, but it doesn't really matter. We're being paranoid in using any password at all to protect the records, since it is stuff we've got a right to know." Zack hadn't thought about that, but Aeris didn't seem to really mind.

"I'll remember that for the future. Where do you want to start?"

"With the information on their inner households." It would be easier on Aeris when it came to negotiating a contract if her spouse didn't have a consort of his own, and Zack had heard _stories_ about healer caste who kept concubines.

"Right." He opened folder 1, and then the document titled 'Inner Household'. "So, this one's called Daris. No consort..."

"But he has _five_ concubines." Aeris rested a hand on his thigh as she pointed to the sentence in question, and Zack shut down the document at once, exiting folder 1 to return to the 'candid' folder.

"Shall I just delete that folder, or make a new sub-folder for rejection in the first cut?"

"Delete it. He returns his concubines after six months, and uses them as part-value for their replacements, all except his first concubine, and every single concubine needs some form of therapy afterwards!"

"I hadn't read that far." Zack grimaced as he obeyed; _he'd_ been focusing on the question of whether Daris had a consort first, but that had to be a secondary concern. "Ready to try the next candidate?" He opened folder 2 as he spoke, waiting until Aeris agreed before opening 'Inner Household' from this folder.

"Hmmm. This looks better. Lewis doesn't seem to have any concubines at all."

"No, but he's got a consort, a pure human called Lazard." Although Zack wondered if it might be better for Aeris' spouse to have a consort of his own after all, so that he'd expect less of Aeris' attention.

"It's not enough to eliminate him, try the next one." Darres, no concubines, a male consort, an uncaste called Glen who'd been his childhood sweetheart and refused the activation ritual so he could belong to Darres.

"That's...very interesting. Still...show me the next candidate."

"Ares." No consort again, but... "He's got a concubine, should I delete him?" He was already moving to do that without Aeris' agreement when she put her hand on his wrist to stop him.

"No. He's only got _one_ concubine, and according to the records she didn't train as one. He could have had sex with her before realising he loved her. Leave him as a possibility. Who else is there?"

"Number five, one Apophis. No consort, no concubines...not even a bodyguard."

"He's just jumped to the top of my list, make a new folder, label it 'preferred' and put him there." One more candidate joined Apophis in the 'preferred' folder, Rameses, a name Zack thought he should know, but couldn't quite place, and Zack deleted two more before they finished making the first cut.

"What now? Do you want to see their pictures?" Which wouldn't be more than a month old given when the database had last been updated.

"No. I don't want to let my decisions be affected by what they look like, not until the final cut. Let's check their finances. There's no real excuse for a high noble to be in debt, and I don't want a profligate for a spouse."

"Yeah, I get that. Do you want to start with Apophis and Rameses then?"

"Please, that would be best." Preferred, and then folder 5...Zack scanned the files stored there, selecting the spreadsheet titled 'Financial summaries'. The information was pretty basic, but Apophis hadn't drawn from his stipend for the last five years - as far as it went back - and he paid quite a bit of income tax.

"Hmmm. His payroll is pretty reasonable, especially since it doesn't look like he buys slaves."

"And I don't know much about credit ratings, but isn't it better the higher the number is?" And Apophis' was 2317.

"I think so." Aeris sounded as unsure as Zack felt. "He's staying in the preferred folder anyway. Let's take a look at Rameses now." Apparently Rameses drew his full stipend every year, paid just about no income tax, and had a credit rating of just 231.

"Delete him. He's not suitable if he's managed to get that badly into debt and can't be relied on to pay his debts off." And _that_ reminded Zack of where he'd heard the name before.

"I think he used to gamble with one of my previous owners, and tended to lose pretty badly. Just let me check the picture of him." He opened a picture file to find a photo of a fairly young man, dark skinned, but with even darker circles under the eyes. "Yes, that's him, and he'd be an embarrassment to you if you took him as a spouse."

Aeris told Zack to delete three more folders, although he wasn't quite clear on what was wrong with Osiris' financial records, and moved one candidate, Horus, to the preferred folder. Horus was eliminated in the next round when Aeris learned he'd been sued three times in the last five years over his healing, and he didn't do surgery, or anything like that, just prescribed medication - and that only rarely. Two moved up into the preferred folder: Regis, who dealt with terminally ill patients who couldn't afford the sort of nursing they needed, and sometimes even cured them, and Darres, who'd focused on trauma injuries and field medicine - although it mystified Zack why _he_ didn't have a bodyguard in that case.

"I think five's a short enough list to choose from, don't you?" Aeris leaned back in her chair and Zack pushed back away from the computer to watch her stretch before doing the same himself.

"Yes, especially since you've got a short list of three candidates. Do you want me to pull up their photos now?"

"No. Not today. And when I see the photos I don't want to know who each photo is of. I...want to have the chance to choose from the photos just because of what I think of the way they look. You...don't mind that, do you?" Aeris' voice and eyes begged him to understand, to accept that she didn't want to choose her spouse, the man who was supposed to be her equal and partner, rather than her helpmate as he was, just from records, that she wanted to find her spouse attractive, if she could.

"No, I don't mind. I mean, I'm the one you love, and nothing's going to change that, right?" Zack needed reassurance as well, he'd focused on doing this for Aeris, but...he didn't want to share the woman he loved with another man, even though he knew he had no choice, even though he'd accepted this when he agreed to be Aeris' consort, to have whatever part of her that he could have.

"No, nothing's going to change that." Aeris shook her head, resting a hand on Zack's cheek and leaning forward to kiss him, full on the lips, taking his mouth with a sweetness mixed with sorrow. "I don't want to think about this anymore just now. Shut the computer down and come to bed with me."

"As you wish." Zack shut the computer down, deciding that he'd print the photos out the next day and let Aeris see them when she was ready, before following Aeris back through to her bedroom and letting her push him down onto the bed, giving himself over to her.


	4. Chapter 4

Zack had printed the photos of Aeris' five short listed candidates for her spouse out onto proper photographic paper, written the names on the back, and put them into those cheap cardboard frames you sometimes got professional photos delivered in when you didn't pay for anything better. It bothered him a bit that _he_ was the one pushing for the woman he loved to find a spouse, but at least this way he'd have some influence over her choice, and by doing it now they'd have the best possible selection of candidates. He shuffled the photos as he took them through to Aeris' bedroom for her to look at when she got back to their quarters, and sat down to wait for her.

"Zack." Aeris sounded annoyed, not that Zack could really blame her since she'd spent the day arguing with the Triumvirate and he quickly organised the photos into a pile on the side of the bed. "What are those?"

"Photographs of your potential spouses." This might not be the best time to bring the subject up considering how much dealing with the Triumvirate could stress Aeris, but she'd probably be...irritated however he brought the matter up. "You need-"

"To make my mind up, I know." Zack didn't care that Aeris had cut him off, but the aggression in her tone _did_ bother him. "Go and dress up _nicely_ for me and I'll look through them with you."

"Thank you Aeris." Zack knew what 'nicely' meant when she used that tone of voice, and he started by showering in his quarters, grateful for the fact that he didn't have to worry about shaving for this the way he knew Tseng did from when Aeris roped _him_ into playing dress-up doll for her. She'd sounded a little impatient, so he grabbed the first bag of female underwear he could find, dark blue and lacy, the sort he liked to see on Aeris, and pulled the bra and knickers on quickly, followed by the garter belt, and slowing down to pull the sheer black stockings up his legs carefully rather than risk putting a ladder in them and having to start again.

The dress next, he preferred to leave faffing around with those plastic things to give the impression of breasts as late as he could, and he pulled a dark purple dress from the wardrobe. It had a full skirt and billowed shoulders, intended to make his waist look a lot smaller than it really was, and he stepped into the dress, fastening it around his waist before he positioned the plastic fillets in his bra and fastened the bodice up with all those fiddly buttons at the front. He could get aware with leaving his nails bare, but he still had to do his make-up, and make at least _some_ effort with his hair - just running a brush through it wouldn't do, he knew that.

At least it was still damp, and Aeris had made sure he had products that _would_ keep it down, at least for a while, and he used combs set with amethysts to keep it like that. Then the make-up, and Aeris liked it when he made it as dramatic as he could get away with, so he used strong colours on his lips and eyes, with black liquid liner edging his lashes, and after a quick final check in the mirror he made his way back to Aeris' bedroom.

"My lady, you wished my presence?" Zack swept a deep curtsey and waited, holding his position, to see how she reacted, what she wanted of him.

"Yes, come over here and sit with me." Aeris didn't use his name, so she wanted him to play the shy maiden and Zack cast his eyes down as he stood to obey her. She'd spread the photos out on the bed beside her, and he settled down on the other side of them, drawing his skirts out of the way with a smile. A smile that Aeris returned, telling him that her temper had eased at least a little.

"So, have you come to any decisions so far my lady?" He honestly didn't know _what_ he wanted to hear, if he wanted the chance to guide Aeris to a particular man, or if he wanted her to choose entirely without his input so he wouldn't feel any sense of responsibility for whatever the result might be.

"Not this one." If the...man in the photo Aeris handed to Zack wasn't an albino he was pretty damn close. His long loose hair was pure white, his skin was the same colour as Sephiroth's, and his eyes were a very pale blue-grey - and he looked so delicate Zack wasn't quite sure if he was a man or a boy. "He looks too much like a younger weaker version of Sephiroth, and I don't want the gossip that could cause." That Aeris had been secretly lusting after Cloud's consort, or that Sephiroth had too much power in his relationship with Cloud, or something Zack hadn't thought of.

"And he looks really young, barely legal." Zack handed the photo back to Aeris, only for her to drop it to the floor.

"True. And I think I should eliminate this one for similar reasons." This time the photo Aeris handed to Zack showed a man with black hair cut as short as a warrior caste's, green eyes and pale skin, a man Zack thought was quite frankly beautiful with his high cheekbones and aquiline features. Aeris didn't sound happy about her decision this time, and he made a small enquiring sound to get her to elaborate for him. "He looks too much like my consort, and it might invite comparisons I don't want."

Zack was tempted to accept her decision, but he'd _seen_ how reluctant she was to discard this photo, and he thought that the man in it had been on her initial shortlist, just like the man she'd refused first. "I think you should keep him as an option my lady." He didn't give the photo back to her, instead putting it down on the bed with the other three. "I mean, what's the worst people will say about it? That you've got a physical type? That isn't so bad my lady. And I can see that you find him attractive."

"Yes, I do." She smiled at Zack, and put the photo on the bedside table. "And I find _him_ attractive too." The colouring was certainly exotic, dark red hair, tied in a braid that he'd pulled forward over one shoulder, dark blue eyes, and olive skin, but Zack couldn't see the attraction. Despite the man's colouring and his full sensual lips his appearance as a whole seemed oddly bland to Zack's eyes, as if he'd reached his mid-twenties without really forming any character. But Zack's opinion on that wasn't important, _he_ wasn't the one who'd have to bed the man.

"Well my lady, there certainly won't be any question of comparisons with him." Then Zack remembered the picture of Rowan he'd seen in her file. "At least not with any of the men around you. While I like his colouring, do you think people might compare him to Rowan should Cloud choose to espouse her?"

"Hmm...no, I don't think so. His face is a classic oval shape, not at all like Rowan's heart shaped face, and the eyes are a different colour." Aeris put the photo on her bedside table and moved on to the next. "I don't like this one, he looks, I don't know, sort of dissipated."

Zack examined the photo carefully, at first glance it looked like a fairly normal man, not particularly attractive and that would be reason enough for Aeris to reject him without any need to justify herself. He was clearly part Wutaian from the shape of his eyes and their amber colour, exotic but far more common in paler people. But Aeris liked Tseng, so her reaction wasn't a sign of any sort of racism, and now that he was looking for it Zack _could_ see a certain puffiness to the man's skin, and the grey streaks in his slicked back brown hair showed his age in a way the other candidates didn't.

"I hadn't noticed it, but I can see what you mean." Zack watched as Aeris dropped the photo on the floor, picking up the last one left. "And what about this one?" He looked as if he'd gotten into at least one bad fight with his broken nose - and Zack had to wonder why a healer-caste wouldn't bother to have it set properly. Although...the man, and the blond was definitely a man, wasn't handsome anyway, not to Zack, and the broken nose...fit with his square jaw and strong bone structure.

Aeris bit her lower lip as she looked at the photo. "I don't know. He isn't really attractive, but there's something about him and he isn't ugly or unattractive either."

"I think the term is character, and for what it's worth, now that I think about it, he reminds me of Angeal a bit."

"I hadn't thought of it that way." She put the photo on the table with the other two she wanted to actually meet in person and leaned forward to kiss Zack. He was tempted, very tempted, to just go along with her, but he _knew_ the rules for this game, and he had the perfect way to distract her as well. He let her kiss him once without giving opposition to her exploring tongue, but pulled back as soon as she let him.

"My lady, should we not see what the names of the men you have chosen are?"

"I don't want to go and look them up on the computer, I want to stay right here with you." Her hand wasn't large enough to circle Zack's wrist, but the position was enough to let him know that he needed to stay right where he was.

"You don't need to check on the computer my lady. The names are written on the back of the photos, if you will but remove them from the frames." Zack didn't really like this almost artificial way of talking, but it helped with the innocent maiden act, reminding him to be submissive and make Aeris work for anything past chaste kisses.

"I'll look then. But I want you to take my boots off for me while I do that."

"Yes my lady." Zack slid to his knees on the floor when Aeris released him, and pulled her left boot into his lap, unfastening each of the twenty tiny buttons along the outside of her high heeled boot, careful to keep the two inch narrow heel from digging into his thigh or groin. Then he shifted a bit so that he could slowly pull the boot from her foot, followed by her black sock. He was just finished unfastening her right boot when Aeris spoke to him.

"Did you know?"

"My lady?" Zack didn't need to pretend to be puzzled by her question.

"That the second photo I showed you, the one you convinced me not to discard was of a man on my short list?"

"I...believed so my lady." He finished the task she'd assigned him as he spoke. "But even if I had been wrong, he is attractive, more so than I in fact."

"Thank you then, but I find you far more attractive than any stranger could be. Come, sit by me again, only closer this time."

As you wish my lady." Zack let his very real pleasure at Aeris' compliment show in his voice as he obeyed, and he didn't object or pull back when she wrapped her arm around his waist and rested a hand on his hip. "What will you do with the names?"

"Oh, use them as part of the guest list for a party or something far enough in the future that they won't be able to claim prior appointments." Aeris waved her free hand as she spoke, then brought it to rest on his thigh, and Zack had to find something to distract her again.

"Mayhap if it is a few months after the Midgar Zolom are culled you could make up the rest of the list with those who know Rowan, and pretend it is her you are curious about?"

"That's a very good idea, it solves the last problem, what sort of cover story to use." Aeris kissed him again, and this time Zack had no distractions ready, so he could give in to her, slowly.

Note: Is there a reason no one's reviewed this? Are people just not that interested in Zack and Aeris in this AU?


	5. Chapter 5

Zack would prefer to be sitting beside Aeris for this meal, but he'd known that wasn't an option since they'd planned it out properly. The need to cover why Aeris had issued the invitations had led to a guest list of seven Cetra high nobles, with two low noble spouses, and a total of seven consorts besides Zack. That was too many for anything but a segregated dinner, at least if Aeris wanted to hear from all of her noble guests, so Zack was at the head of the consorts' table, and he had to guide the conversation, ostensibly to get information about Rowan, but also to get information about Darres, Regis and Lewis. At least he wouldn't have to remember everything, since Aeris had ordered recording devices placed at the tables and in the ballroom.

Zack waited until the soup had been served before he started, grateful that protocol said everyone should wait for him to speak first rather than start any conversations, and that asking a consort how he came to be with his lord or lady was considered small talk, like talking about the weather.

"Lazard, I'm curious about how all of you ended up as consorts, so would you like to start us off?" It was as much a command as a question, and the blond seemed to recognise that.

"I grew up in Midgar's slums. I know the Cetra are trying to get people into better places, and less concentrated in the big cities, but my mother and her husband were managing to make a more or less decent life there. She had training as a PA, and she passed some of that on to me, enough that when I decided to go for an indenture they agreed I'd only need a six month course to be marketed that way. Lewis bought me, and he decided that he wanted me, but...it took him long enough to convince me to be with him willingly that we'd fallen in love by then." Lazard shrugged as he spoke. "I know, it's normally their bodyguards healer caste fall in love with, but that's what happened."

"I don't doubt it." Although Zack _could_ see that Lazard had gotten some training in how to fight. "Anyone here got a 'normal' story to tell, besides me that is?" Only two of the other consorts raised their hands, both pure humans, so they had to be exceptionally skilled fighters - actually Zack was the only enhanced human at the table, something that had surprised him a bit. "Guess we 'normal' consorts are in the minority at this table then. Phaedra, what about you?"

"I think I've got the oddest story at the table actually." She blushed and glanced down at her soup, fiddling with her roll as she spoke. "My lady Lindis once was involved with a warrior caste high noble, and they liked to bring in one of his concubines from time to time, for a bit of extra fun I guess. Anyway, when he called me to their bed she refused, had me sent away, and the next morning, when she left he gave me to her." There'd probably been a bit more to it than that, but Zack knew Phaedra probably wouldn't have known about whatever Lindis decided with this lover of hers, and she was certainly beautiful enough to have been in a harem, although not the same sort of beauty Aeris had, not with those lush curves and her dark hair, eyes and skin. "When she got me home she asked me to be her consort, and I said yes."

"Brave of you to agree so quickly. It took a while before I was ready to agree to that, and I already knew Aeris pretty well when she made the offer."

"So did I." Arlene, the woman bodyguard.

"Me too." Ronald, the third bodyguard agreed.

"And me." And so did another man, Francisco.

"Well, I agreed at once, but I'd already got to know Regis while he was helping my sister die peacefully, without pain."

"When did he offer for you then Rhoslyn?" Francisco sounded puzzled, and a bit disturbed by her revelation. "Tell me it wasn't while your sister was dying or at the funeral."

"No, no. He still kept on meeting me after she died, and he asked me to be his consort six months later." She tilted her head as she looked at Zack, obviously ready to change the subject a bit. "Are you saying there was nothing at all unusual in Aeris' choice of you as her consort?"

"Only that it was Sephiroth, _Cloud's_ consort, who chose me, to be Cloud's gift for her on her eighteenth birthday, and possibly that she gave me the option of just being her lover if I didn't think I could love her."

"Oh no, the second part's not at all unusual. Francis did the same for me."

"And so did Alice with me."

"Ah, right. Francisco, why were you hesitant about becoming a consort? I mean I was reluctant because I didn't know if I could fall in love with Aeris, and because I knew that warrior caste get a bit condescending when they're dealing with consorts."

"Did you know that I'm a doctor?" That _certainly_ wasn't how Zack had expected the other man to start his story. "When I was training, on my internship, I met Travis, while he was doing a rotation as a registrar. I didn't realise he was a noble or even a healer caste at first, and we started dating. I only learned that he was a low noble when I wanted to move things to the bedroom and he explained why he was reluctant. I was in love with him, but...I didn't want to give up being a doctor. I didn't agree to be his consort until he promised he'd find a way for me to still act as a doctor, even though consorts aren't really supposed to work, and when he married Iris she offered the same guarantee."

"You know...I think Francisco's story is even odder than yours is Phaedra, what do the rest of you think?" They took the vote while the servers brought in the meat course, along with bowls of vegetables and baskets of bread, and the consensus was both stories were equally odd.

"Do you _really_ need all that much more food than we do?" Francisco sounded genuinely puzzled, he wasn't being sarcastic or insulting, it was pretty clear Zack had been given more meat than the others, and as a doctor he'd probably understand what Aeris had explained to Zack once.

"Yes, Aeris explained it to me; enhanced humans have a higher base metabolic rate than pure humans do, so we need to eat a lot more than you do. It's the same as the difference between healer caste and warrior caste Cetra."

"That makes sense."

"Speaking of food, I was surprised to see there isn't any obvious difference between the food served at our table and at the nobles' table. Usually with segregated dinners the consorts don't get the same sort of food as our lords and ladies." Phaedra sounded just a little bitter, and Zack wondered what had made her that way.

"_Are_ there any differences between the food served at each table?" Rhoslyn must have had bad experiences too, and Zack figured there was no reason not to answer.

"Two, maybe three depending how you see it. The bread at our table was baked yesterday, and the bread at Aeris' was baked today, and the very best cuts of meat went to her table. And of course the Cetra get the first choice of the two deserts the kitchens prepared for tonight." Everyone seemed to agree that was perfectly reasonable, but Zack decided to change the subject. "Glen, we haven't heard about how you became a consort yet."

"I think _my_ story's the oddest at the table." Glen had a broad grin on his face as he answered Zack's question. "I was born a warrior caste, and I grew up near Darres. We started falling in love when we were twelve and thirteen - he's a year older than me - but we didn't go past foreplay really, because we knew we were too young. By the time I was fourteen _I_ knew that I wanted to spend my life with him, and we'd known he would be a noble since he was ten. The only cross-caste relationships - or same-sex relationships for that matter - that are legally acknowledged are consortings, and healer caste don't take warrior caste as consorts, just uncaste and humans."

"Is that law, or just custom, do you know?" Lazard asked a _very_ good question, but everyone looked at Zack for an answer, and he didn't have any idea.

"I don't know, but it doesn't really matter, does it? Glen, what did you do when you realised you wanted to spend your life with Darres?"

"I decided I'd be willing to give up my caste to be with him, but I knew that if I told him what I planned beforehand he'd say no, and he'd try to talk me out of it. But I wanted security in case he refused to accept me as his consort. So I talked to my parents, they run a weapons school, and they promised that if I could defeat one of my adult siblings before my sixteenth birthday they'd give me a job as an instructor, to show arrogant warrior caste children that being warrior caste or enhanced isn't a guarantee of victory. And to teach any healer caste or pure humans who preferred to learn from someone who doesn't have a warrior caste's natural advantages." Glen had planned well then.

"Even if Darres decided to accept me after he learned what I'd done to be his I knew I'd still need something to do until he reached his majority. He wouldn't be able to support me before then, and, like Francisco learned, there are _some_ nobles who allow their consorts to work. Besides, even then Darres was working on trauma injuries, with plans to specialise in field medicine, and he used our school as a way to gain experience, at least with minor injuries."

"Because you were involved with him?" Zack shared Arlene's scepticism, but it was a bit rude of her to voice it like that.

"No, in exchange for lessons in how to use a spear. He started when he was ten, and that's really when we became more than acquaintances, I was assigned as his sparring partner, and tutor. When he learned that I refused the activation ritual for the chance to belong to him he was shocked...and furious, but he still accepted me as his consort when he came of age."

"Any interesting pupils?" A leading question, Zack _knew_ that Rowan had been one of the students there, and after Cloud had practically made a public announcement that she was courting him Glen should be able to tell who Zack was really interested in without needing to hear it explicitly. And he did, telling everyone an anecdote about Rowan's first attempt to use a bow from the saddle, prompting other stories about her once the other consorts recognised the 'real' reason Aeris was holding the dinner and dance.


	6. Chapter 6

Zack noted the way each of the three pairs they were considering had positioned themselves for after dinner drinks with interest. He hoped _Aeris_ found it as revealing as he did. Glen and Darres had taken the table with the second best view of the room, leaving the table with the best view for Zack and Aeris, and Glen was sitting the same way Zack was, in a position to protect Darres if he needed to. Zack _knew_ that the way Rhoslyn was kneeling at Regis' feet wasn't that different from the way Sephiroth had to kneel at Cloud's feet on formal occasions, but something about the adoring way she gazed up at Regis rubbed him the wrong way. Especially when he saw how Lazard was sitting with Lewis, talking to the two Cetra with them as an equal. Phaedra wasn't part of the conversation, but Arlene spoke sometimes while she watched what everyone else was doing.

"Did you learn anything interesting about Rowan? If the consorts had all realised the dinner was really about' investigating Rowan Zack figured the Cetra would have guessed the same thing.

"A bit, yes. Everyone worked out why' they were invited at your table too then? There was a wry smile on Aeris' lips, telling Zack that no-one had recognised the _real_ reason for the party, the one hidden under finding out about Rowan. It probably helped that Lewis was on record as having dealt with Rowan's merchant family, and Darres could easily be passed off as having been invited to give Zack a chance to question Glen, with Regis as camouflage.

"Yeah. I don't think I gave it away, but Glen guessed when I asked if there'd been any interesting students at his parents' school. Zack shrugged casually as he spoke. "They co-operated, and none of them seemed to see any problem with us trying to learn everything we can about her.

"Why should they? It's the smart thing to do, if you take it as given that the nature of Cloud's spouse concerns me. And it _does_. Sephiroth's my declared brother; I have the right to be concerned about someone who could be in a position to hurt him. That wasn't something Zack had thought about, and a way of seeing things that wouldn't have occurred to him, but he could see the sense in it.

"Can't argue with that I guess.

"No, but we shouldn't talk about Rowan now. Leave it for later, we can compare notes on Rowan after everyone leaves, or even tomorrow, depending on how long the dance lasts. Aeris started to stand, and Zack obediently imitated her, moving to let her leave the table. "Let's start the ball rolling then.

Zack took her hand and let Aeris lead him onto the dance floor, settling into a proper ballroom hold and waiting for the musicians to start playing at her signal. The first dance was a foxtrot, they'd agreed on that beforehand, and Aeris had told the musicians to play something appropriate for that style of dance. Traditionally either the host or the highest ranked Cetra present (or sometimes both) danced the first dance of an evening without any other couple on the floor to get in the way, so all Zack had to worry about was following Aeris' lead. They weren't really dancing for their audience, so Aeris stuck to simple, classic steps that Zack could follow from body language cues, not bothering with all the frills and curlicues exhibition dancers used.

"We'll dance a tango next, then we should split up to dance with some of our guests. A tango so that the change in hold would signal the end of the first dance for their guests, rather than relying on them recognising the start of a new piece of music - and so that the changed style of music would make doing that easier.

"Yes Aeris. Who do you want me to try to dance with? The music changed, and Aeris adjusted her hold before responding.

"The three candidates we chose, if they will allow you to dance with them. It would be an honour for Aeris to allow her guests to dance with her consort, so there was a catch, and Zack knew just what that catch was, but he thought he should ask to be certain.

"You want me to approach them, and ask to dance, rather than hint or wait for them to ask me? Zack looked to locate his targets as Aeris pushed him into a turn, noting how they treated their consorts without trying to analyse it now.

"Yes. I think that will tell us a lot about them, how they react to you asking them to dance rather than the other way around. Since it was supposed to be the higher ranked partner who asked for a dance, as well as led in the dance. "If they refuse then dance with their consorts - you have the rank to make _that_ invitation, and even the most traditional Cetra would agree with me there.

"Yes, they would. And Zack could take the opportunity to ask about the Cetra then, rather than talk about Rowan, since that was the polite topic for consorts to discuss. It wouldn't be any hardship to boast about Aeris in return, so he couldn't imagine any consort _wanting_ to stay silent about his or her Cetra. Aeris released him as the music shifted again, and he began looking around for his next partner while Aeris glided over the floor to choose her own partner. Regis had his arm around Rhoslyn's waist as they moved to the edge of the dance floor...he'd do. Zack reached them just before they left the floor, and Regis came to a halt and looked at him with a distant, but polite smile.

"Yes?

"Might I have this dance, lord? Best to be respectful, Zack suspected that Regis was the type to be easily offended from what Rhoslyn had said about him at dinner. But his manners didn't seem to help, a faintly offended look came over Regis' face, and the chill between them was palpable.

"You _meant_ to ask for permission to dance with my consort.

"Ah...yes sir. I misspoke, please, forgive me. Zack forced himself to _sound_ apologetic too, even though he really felt offended by the implication of Regis' words. "_Might_ I dance with your consort?

"Yes, you are forgiven, and you may dance with my consort, but wait for the next dance.

"Thank you lord. He'd prefer to ask Rhoslyn directly, but it would probably be a better idea to ask Regis based on his attitude. "Can she handle a quickstep or a spinning waltz?

"Not a spinning waltz, they make Rhoslyn dizzy. But as long as you keep the pace reasonable she shouldn't have any problems with a quickstep. Regis took Rhoslyn's hand and offered it to Zack with cold formality, kissing her cheek as Zack accepted her hand.

"I'll take care of her for you.

"Yes, you will. The music shifted then; not lively enough for a quickstep, or dramatic enough for a tango, so Zack pulled Rhoslyn into a waltz.

"Would you have refused if I'd asked you to dance directly?

"No...I would have told you to ask my lord. It isn't my place to agree to that for myself. Zack really didn't like the sound of that, but he refrained from commenting, focusing on Regis instead.

"He's very protective of you.

"Yes, he is. She smiled up at Zack, his words apparently enough to set her off talking about how wonderful Regis was. But her praise only made Zack feel _more_ uneasy about Regis, even though Rhoslyn seemed content, and he covered that with the same distant politeness Regis had used when he returned Rhoslyn to him. Darres would be more reasonable, even if Darres refused Zack was certain Glen wouldn't put up with the sort of control Rhoslyn did, and Zack hurried over to catch him as he separated from his consort.

"If you want to dance with Glen I suggest you ask him yourself.

"No, sir. I want to dance with you. Should he expand on that? Zack hadn't thought about how playing along with Regis could turn around to bite him on the ass like this, but...even if he'd _known_ the consequences Zack would have played along. "I wanted to dance with Regis, but-

Darres laughed then, cutting Zack's words off. "He got offended, and you had to placate him. Yes, I'll dance with you. Darres reached up to rest one hand on top of Zack's arm, letting Zack move into hold from there. "A foxtrot I think. He remained silent for long enough to start the dance properly, then spoke again. "So, what did you want to ask me while we dance? Your lady has already got everything I know about Rowan out of me.

"Darres...who was it I tried to dance with before you? Zack wondered what conclusion Darres would come to from that, hoping it wasn't the _right_ one, but waiting for his response.

"Regis. And he had nothing useful to say about Rowan. If Aeris wanted to make him feel better about the way he was left out of the conversation at dinner she should have went to dance with him herself. That was a good reason, even if it hadn't featured in her thinking.

"Glen boasted about how you'd learned to use a spear at dinner...was there a reason?

"Yes, at first I just didn't want to be dependent on anyone to protect me, the way too many healer caste are, but later, after I learned I'd be a high noble that changed. With that Darres was off, talking about his plans and the reasons behind them. It was fascinating, and Zack wished he could get away with asking for another dance when the foxtrot ended. Lewis was dancing with Iris, so Zack looked around for someone else to partner. Lindis was starting to dance with her spouse, and _his_ consort was dancing with her fellow ex-bodyguard, leaving Phaedra on her own. She looked unhappy to be alone, and Zack could easily do something about that.

"Can you handle a spinning waltz Phaedra?

"Oh, yes sir. I can even manage a fleckle if you want to put that in. She blushed then, something Zack could only see because of his enhanced vision, and looked down. "That is if you wish to dance with me. I did not mean to presume.

"You didn't. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to dance with you. Zack offered a hand to Phaedra, and she swiftly moved into hold. When they started turning Zack realised the problem with this dance for the purposes Aeris had selected his targets - you couldn't talk when you were doing it, not the way you could in other dances. At least he knew now, and _Phaedra_ wasn't one of the partners Aeris had asked him to dance with. And Lewis was free when Zack looked around to find him.

"Lewis, would you care to dance with me?

"Yes, I would. Lewis pulled him into hold, and Zack relaxed to follow him, resting his left hand on Lewis' right upper arm. "We've got the right music for a quickstep.

"Yes, we do. But I'm not used to dancing with anyone taller than me, so please, keep it simple. Zack smiled up at Lewis, in silent appeal.

"I will. You don't dance with the Planet's Weapon's consort then?

"He doesn't like dancing, not this sort anyway. Zack was pleased to see that Lewis could speak easily at the pace he was setting, and it gave him an opening to exploit. "You're clearly very fit, and I saw that Lazard has some training in how to fight. Do you have the same training?

"Yes, it's a good way to stay in shape, nothing more for me, not really. Zack kept Lewis talking about himself for the rest of the dance, then followed that up by dancing with Glen and Lazard before choosing his partners for the rest of the dance - not quite a ball - by who he'd enjoy dancing with.


	7. Chapter 7

Zack woke up to the feel of Aeris stretching slowly beside him. He didn't say anything, just remained silent, waiting for her to notice that she'd woken him - she would, she always did, but he liked to see how long it would take when they woke like this.

"Good morning love." She kissed him, stroking his chest with one hand and resting the other on his cheek.

"Good morning Heart." Aeris still giggled at his nickname for her, to his pleasure, and she climbed on top of him with a smile. When she kissed him again he wrapped his arms around her waist, just holding her for the moment, until she wanted more. When she started running her hands over his chest Zack ran his hands lightly up her back to her shoulders and then down to her hips, but she pulled away from him.

"No, just lie back and let me do all the work this time."

"Go ahead then." Zack let his hands fall to his sides and settled for watching his lady move above him. She laughed and ran her hands down her body slowly, caressing her breasts briefly before sweeping her hands back and down to run over her hips and down her thighs, circling back up over her ass. She settled down then, trapping his hard cock between her thighs, rubbing up against her pussy, without pushing inside. When she leaned forward she rubbed against him even more, and Zack moaned as she started kissing him at his offered throat, hands running down his body before her lips followed, trailing kisses to his nipples before shifting her seat, to sit across his legs, where she could kiss her way down to his groin.

When she got there she took his dick in her hand, and licked cautiously at the very head, stroking him and taking him into her mouth, but never fast enough or deep enough to bring him to climax. Zack shut his eyes, enjoying the teasing Aeris was indulging in, letting the pleasure build slowly as Aeris amused herself, rocking her hips against his legs almost idly. Eventually she pulled back and moved over him again, guiding him into her. She was still tight, even though she was dripping wet, and the only reason he didn't come just from that, from pushing into her, was that she had a firm grip at the base of his cock. She stayed still then, letting herself adjust, and giving Zack time to get used to how she felt around him, until he wasn't in danger of coming as soon as she moved. When she did start to move it was slow, almost languid, and she kept on kissing him and stroking his body and arms. Zack stayed on his back, passively allowing Aeris to do whatever she wanted, and only coming after she climaxed, clenching around him.

"Thank you for that Zack." Aeris trailed a hand over his face as she rolled off to lie beside him, and Zack caught hold of it, turning it so he could lay a kiss on the inside of her wrist.

"You are most welcome." Zack wasn't really ready to get up, but he had to, and reluctantly he left the bed for the bathroom. Aeris used the bathroom after him, and when they were both dressed she sat down with a pen and notebook.

"We need to narrow it down to one choice from the three we had last night. So, any thoughts?" Aeris was looking at him seriously - she _wanted_ Zack's opinion first.

"All I can say is not Regis. Did you see how he treated his consort?"

"Not really, not the way you seem to have. I saw her kneeling at his feet, but _Sephiroth_ does that for Cloud, and you danced with her when he refused to dance with you."

"That isn't exactly what happened." Zack shook his head in unhappy negation, shutting his eyes as he thought about how Rhoslyn was trapped, even if she didn't recognise it. "It seems Regis requires anyone who wants to dance with Rhoslyn - that's his consort in case he never mentioned her name to you - to ask _his_ consent, not hers, and when I asked him to dance he made it clear he would be offended if I hadn't 'misspoken' and 'meant' to ask his permission to dance with her. And yeah, Seph sits at Cloud's feet on formal occasions, but not when Cloud has an excuse to let him act more freely, like when other nobles are letting their consorts sit at the table with them." He opened his eyes and just looked at Aeris, _willing_ her to understand what he meant.

"Good point." Aeris grimaced as she began to write in her notebook, splitting the page in two and writing 'Darres' and 'Lewis' at the top of each side. "I didn't hit it off with him either, so I thought I should play devil's advocate, in case it was just that he had problems with the main topic of conversation. But...I _did_ give him a chance to talk about his consort, and he didn't take it. Everyone else was willing to talk about how they fell in love with their consort, or how they deal with having a spouse and a consort, or a spouse with a consort. But like you said, Regis didn't even tell me his consort's _name_."

"Aeris, you're not making a judgement here, except of who you _want_ to give you heirs." He shouldn't have to say this, but it looked as if he did, and if he could keep Aeris from making a mistake in her choice he would. "You don't have to try to be fair, what's most important is that you pick someone _you_ can live with."

"You're right. And the point of that dinner was to eliminate two of them as options, wasn't it?"

"If we can, yes. But...I don't think we _can_ choose between Darres and Lewis." Or at least Zack couldn't. Maybe Aeris had already formed a preference between them, and wanted to hear his opinion without tainting it with her own, the way she had with Regis, but he didn't think she did, even if he hoped he was wrong.

"Not easily, no. But I hope that if we compare notes on them it'll be easy to make my choice, or...get me the book on courtship protocol, I think there's an accepted variation that would work if there isn't anything between them."

"But you still want to look for differences between them, even if there's a way to get both of them to court you?" Zack made the comment teasing as he looked for the thin book Aeris wanted. If it was him he'd take whatever excuse he could to get to know the two nobles better before deciding between them, instead of basing his choice on files and a single dinner.

"Yes. I'm pretty sure the other option's more complicated." Aeris took the book and set it aside with a smile. "Thank you, I'll check after we've discussed them both properly. Let's start with Darres, tell me your observations about him, and his consort."


	8. Chapter 8

"Darres, Lewis, if you will come with me?" Zack didn't greet them formally, as he was simply serving as a guide at the moment, instead offering a slight bow, watching as the two men stood, Darres showing more grace than Lewis did.

"What about our consorts, do you expect us to leave them behind?"

"Or did you just assume they'd accompany us?" Lewis didn't sound _quite_ as accusing as Darres did, but Zack could feel his cheeks heat with embarrassment.

"Ah, yes, I sort of figured Glen and Lazard would come with you, and I see you've already dismissed your bodyguards?" He didn't want to be caught out again: these two men were pretty important, Aeris' best options for a spouse who'd be reasonable, and he'd already messed this up once, in a way that he knew Sephiroth wouldn't have done. Zack started leading the nobles and their consorts to Aeris as he spoke; Lewis and Darres could answer just as well on the move as they could standing still.

"Yes, of course. The Planet's Heart has no reason to harm us."

"I didn't bring one, not here." Darres glanced at Glen, an appreciative smile on his lips, making it clear without words why he didn't think he'd needed a bodyguard.

"You honour us with your trust." Zack picked a phrase that was almost ritual, to discourage any further conversation while still showing that he _understood_ they'd paid Aeris a compliment. They seemed to pick up on his reluctance to speak further, and allowed him to guide them to the outer room of Aeris' quarters in silence.

Aeris was standing when they arrived, and from the tension in her body Zack could see she'd been just about to start pacing, but she managed a welcoming smile as she stepped forward to greet them, managing to avoid giving precedence to either of her guests.

"Please, sit down, and I can explain why I wanted to see you both, together." There were enough chairs for everyone in the room, but Zack knew how upset Aeris was about this, so when she'd sat down he went to kneel at her feet, leaning up against her legs, so that she could pet him to calm herself.

"Ah...should we be kneeling, my healer liege?" Glen sounded as if he resented the idea, and he was almost glaring at Zack. "You didn't require your consort to kneel at your feet at the party you held last week."

"And I didn't ask him to kneel today. Zack?" Aeris looked down at him, hand stilling in his hair.

"I'm...not entirely happy with the reason Aeris asked you to come here. I know it's necessary, but it makes me uncomfortable." Even though he'd pushed for it.

"You summoned us to ask if we'd be willing to court you." Zack thought he could read disbelief in the flat tones of Lewis' voice, not the delighted surmise he would have expected.

"Yes, I have. In all honesty I need a spouse more urgently than Cloud does, since I am older than he, and I will not be fertile for as long as he would even were we the same age." As she spoke Aeris began petting him again, and Zack shut his eyes to enjoy the caresses. "He agreed to allow himself to be courted to grant me more time with Zack, but it brought my situation into focus, and there are few with the qualifications to become my spouse."

"But there are more than just two. Why single us out?" Zack could hear the care with which Darres controlled his voice, more than that he could hear the anger underlying that care. And if he could hear it _Aeris_ could certainly feel it, even though her ears weren't as sharp as his.

"More than two, yes. But I don't think you realise quite how limited my range of choices really is. If at all possible my spouse should be a common-born high noble, and when Zack searched for me he only found thirteen unespoused between the ages of eighteen and forty. You two are the very best choices, but...I can't choose between you."

"What makes us the best choices then?" Lewis leaned forward, his interest clearly caught. "And why call both of us here?"

"She wants to play us off against each other." Was that a hint of disgust? "You're not worth fighting over, my healer liege, not for me."

"Who would _want_ to be fought over, to reduce herself to a mere prize?" Aeris laughed lightly as she spoke, putting the lie to her bitter words. "I don't expect to ever come first in your heart should you choose to court me, you each already have a consort to be your beloved. That's one of the reasons you two are my best choices, you'll understand how much Zack means to me. There were other practical things, like credit history and that sort of thing, then I eliminated two of my options on the basis of appearance."

"Because you didn't find them attractive?" Lewis asked his question with an oddly deferential tone, compared to the way he and Darres had been speaking so far, and mentally Zack admitted that it was a change from the aggression Darres was displaying.

"One of them looked unhealthy, the other one looked too much like my brother to be a wise choice for me. The party I invited you to last week was not, in fact, primarily intended to learn about Rowan, although we passed all the information we learned on her on to Cloud. It was a happy coincidence that three out of the four of you knew her at some point and I could take the chance to help Cloud while getting a chance to assess your characters."

"And you couldn't decide between us." Darres paused before continuing in a tone of faint revelation. "Ah, that explains Regis. You didn't invite him as a decoy, he was the other spousal candidate you'd settled on, but you decided against him."

"He didn't want to talk about his consort." Aeris stated her objection flatly, and it seemed to be enough to Darres and Lewis. "It is legitimate for both of you to court me at once, and that would give us more time to get to know one another. I can't order you to do this, but I don't want to have to select from whatever candidates the Triumvirate come up with for me."

"You'd be put under pressure to espouse at some point anyway Darres, and I doubt the Planet's Heart will try to restrict you as much as another spouse might."

"And nothing says _I_ can't withdraw from courting you if I decide we won't suit." Lewis had a speculative look in his eyes as he spoke. "I'm willing to court you if Darres isn't, and even if he is."

"Yes, I'm willing. But we need to decide exactly how this will work. And Lewis, I'll need some way to contact you quickly if I have to."

After that it was just a matter of making the arrangements, and Zack tuned it out a bit until their guests left.


End file.
